St. Cloud State goes all in with esports: ‘There’s a lot of opportunity’
Under the soft glow of color-changing LED lights, six St. Cloud State University students sat in a row, clad in matching jerseys, staring intently at computer screens. As they maneuvered virtual cars in a fast-paced game of video soccer, the action was broadcast to larger screens across the room. When one of the players scored a goal, a gaggle of spectators sitting in folding chairs erupted with hollers and cheers.
From outside the room in the bowels of the student union, it sounded like the student section at a hockey game. But it was a group of fans watching St. Cloud State’s newest varsity team compete at the launch of the campus’ esports arena. The school is one of the first across the state to dive headfirst into the integration of esports into its campus culture and academics.